Greenhouse Gases and Emissions

Question 1

Natural warming of the earth that results when gases in the atmosphere trap heat from the sun that would otherwise escape into space.

Answer 1

greenhouse effect

Question 2

Any gas that has the property of absorbing infrared radiation emitted from Earth’s surface and reradiating it back to Earth’s surface, thus contributing to the greenhouse effect.

Answer 2

greenhouse gases

Question 3

can have different effects on the Earth’s warming depending on their ability to absorb energy (radiative efficiency) and how long they stay in the atmosphere (lifetime).

Answer 3

greenhouse gases

Question 4

naturally occuring GHGs

Answer 4

Water vapor (H2O),
Carbon dioxide (CO2),
Methane (CH4), and
Nitrous oxide (N2O).

Question 5

present only due to industrial processes

Answer 5

Chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs)
Perfluorocarbons (CF6, C2F6),
Hydrofluorocarbons (CHF3, CF3CH2F, CH3CHF2), and
Sulfur hexafluoride (SF6)

Question 6

Indicates the relative effectiveness of GHGs in trapping the Earth’s heat over a certain time horizon.

Answer 6

Global Warming Potential (GWP)

Question 7

measure of how much energy the emissions of 1 ton of a gas will absorb over a given period of time, relative to the emissions of 1 ton of carbon dioxide (CO2).

Answer 7

Global Warming Potential (GWP)

Question 8

The larger the _____, the more that a given gas warms the Earth compared to CO2 over that time period.

Answer 8

GWP

Question 9

The _______ influence the surface temperature on any planet.

Answer 9

thickness of the atmosphere and the concentration of its gases

Question 10

Most potent greenhouse gas in Earth’s atmosphere, but its behavior is fundamentally different from that of the other greenhouse gases.

Answer 10

water vapor

Question 11

As the temperature of the atmosphere rises, more water is evaporated from Earth and thus ________.

Answer 11

causes even more warming.

Question 12

carbon dioxide natural sources and human sources

Answer 12

natural sources:
1. decomposition and respiration
2. ocean release

human sources:
1. burning of fossil fuels
2. Land use change
3. deforestation
4. cement manufacturing

Question 13

methane natural sources and human sources

Answer 13

natural sources
1. decomposition
2. swamps
3. permafrost

human souces:
1. rice cultivation
2. livestock
3. landfills
3. burning of fossil fuels

Question 14

nitrous oxide natural sources and human sources

Answer 14

natural soueces
1. soil under vegetation
2. ocean

human sources
1. fertilizer
2. tiling and cultivation
3. burning of fossil fuels

Question 15

Increase of the Earth’s average surface temperature due to a build-up of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere.

Answer 15

global warming

Question 16

Long-term heating of Earth’s climate system observed since the pre-industrial period (between 1850 and 1900) due to human activities.

Answer 16

global warming

Question 17

Study of ancient climates, prior to the widespread availability of instrumental records.

Answer 17

paleoclimatology

Question 18

Paleoclimatology data are derived from _______ such as tree rings, ice cores, corals, and ocean and lake sediments.

Answer 18

natural sources

Question 19

The light-colored rings represent wood that grew in the ____

Answer 19

spring and early summer

Question 20

dark rings represent wood that grew in the ____

Answer 20

late summer and fall

Question 21

One light ring plus one dark ring equals

Answer 21

one year of the tree’s life

Question 22

usually grow wider in warm, wet years and they are thinner in years when it is cold and dry.

Answer 22

tree rings

Question 23

have been a part of the Earth’s oceans for millions of years and are very sensitive to changes in climate.

Answer 23

coral reefs

Question 24

scientists analyze the chemical composition of each layer in the ____ to reconstruct monthly, annual, and longer records past temperature and salinity.

Answer 24

calcium carbonate

Question 25

Allow us to generate continuous reconstructions of past climate, going back at least 800,000 years.

Answer 25

ice cores

Question 26

The ______ of each annual layer tells how much snow accumulated at that location during the year.

Answer 26

thickness

Question 27

It provides the only direct record of atmospheric composition (direct gases, total gas content, and isotopic ratios) available in the field of paleoclimatology.

Answer 27

ice cores

Question 28

Pollen grains that are washed or blown into lakes can accumulate in sediments and provide a record of past vegetation.

Answer 28

fossil pollen

Question 29

Different types of pollen in lake sediments reflect the vegetation that was present around the lake and, therefore, the _________ favorable for that vegetation.

Answer 29

climate conditions

Question 30

mineral deposits formed from groundwater within underground caverns.

Answer 30

speleothem

Question 31

natual cause of climate change

Answer 31

Volcanic eruption Ocean currents Solar variation Earth’s orbital changes Internal variability

Question 32

Main effect is short-term cooling.

Answer 32

volcanic eruptions

Question 33

During major explosive eruptions, huge amounts of volcanic gas, aerosol droplets, and ash are injected into the stratosphere, which _______ some sunlight.

Answer 33

block out

Question 34

Volcanic gases like ______cause global cooling

Answer 34

sulfur dioxide

Question 35

plays important role in keeping the Earth warm.

Answer 35

oceans

Question 36

Majority of radiation is absorbed by the ______

Answer 36

ocean

Question 37

helps in distributing heat around the globe

Answer 37

ocean currents

Question 38

help in transporting warm water and precipitation from the equator toward the poles and cold water from the poles back to the tropics.

Answer 38

ocean currents